I fell asleep around 10:30 this morning. I was listening to Rick Warren's YouTube channel. I was sleeping good. Then, Rick Warren quoted a paraphrased Bible Quote that forced me awake. I had to look it up to see what he was talking about.
Proverbs 24:16
“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”
Rick was talking about failures, and how God KNOWS, even EXPECTS that we are going to fail. Even after we get saved. Sin is a habit. It is not our failures that will keep us out of heaven.
I needed to hear this. I guess God knew it. I guess it's why I am wide awake listening to the whole message now.
I fail sometimes. It devastates me when I do. I spend so much time afterward being depressed and beating myself up. I will never be perfect. I will always backslide back into my misery. I can't trust myself. I can't trust my own judgment.
But, I can trust God's. I can trust that Jesus took my nails. I can trust that even when I fail, even BECAUSE I fail, God has a way through me to reach others for Christ.
God was clearly talking to me. He was saying,
"Shonda, Shonda, Shonda...
You think you are so smart. You think it's your job to punish yourself. You think I can't carry the load you bear. But, I already have.
I know you aren't perfect. I knew what you were going to do. I gave it to you to prove to you that you can't be everything to yourself. That's MY job.
I know your heart. And, I know that, in spite of it, you are going to fail again.
I love you, anyway"
Yeah. I'm sitting here in tears.
Jesus told Peter
Luke Chapter 22
31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat:
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Jesus prayed that his faith would not fail -- not that HE wouldn't fail; so that, when he DID fail, and he "converted" he would come back and encourage his brothers.
The word "converted" means having been adapted to be suitable for a new purpose. God uses our failures to show us His love.
“For a just man falleth seven times, and riseth up again: but the wicked shall fall into mischief.”
Rick was talking about failures, and how God KNOWS, even EXPECTS that we are going to fail. Even after we get saved. Sin is a habit. It is not our failures that will keep us out of heaven.
I needed to hear this. I guess God knew it. I guess it's why I am wide awake listening to the whole message now.
I fail sometimes. It devastates me when I do. I spend so much time afterward being depressed and beating myself up. I will never be perfect. I will always backslide back into my misery. I can't trust myself. I can't trust my own judgment.
But, I can trust God's. I can trust that Jesus took my nails. I can trust that even when I fail, even BECAUSE I fail, God has a way through me to reach others for Christ.
God was clearly talking to me. He was saying,
"Shonda, Shonda, Shonda...
You think you are so smart. You think it's your job to punish yourself. You think I can't carry the load you bear. But, I already have.
I know you aren't perfect. I knew what you were going to do. I gave it to you to prove to you that you can't be everything to yourself. That's MY job.
I know your heart. And, I know that, in spite of it, you are going to fail again.
I love you, anyway"
Yeah. I'm sitting here in tears.
Jesus told Peter
31 And the Lord said, Simon, Simon, behold, Satan hath desired [to have] you, that he may sift [you] as wheat:
32 But I have prayed for thee, that thy faith fail not: and when thou art converted, strengthen thy brethren.
Jesus prayed that his faith would not fail -- not that HE wouldn't fail; so that, when he DID fail, and he "converted" he would come back and encourage his brothers.
The word "converted" means having been adapted to be suitable for a new purpose. God uses our failures to show us His love.
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